D-
Las Vegas Raiders
Ward is the Raiders' new face under center. Grade: D-.
by [email protected] ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 4 steals
· 6 reaches
The Jimmy Horn Jr. selection is the head-turner. The Raiders reached 134 spots for him, and it will define how this weekend is remembered.
The dealing is the wound this class cannot quite close. Everything downstream of Cam Ward depends on Cam Ward, and the building knows it. They banked enough surplus on Simon to cover a lot of smaller sins.
That edge rusher hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall.
Add it up and it is a weekend the front office will hope everyone forgets, edge rusher very much included.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 6 they get their guy under center for the next decade. A real need, handled.
A conviction pick on Jonah Savaiinaea at the 33rd pick that the board grades a round light. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
They liked Aireontae Ersery enough to skip the value, taking him in the 37th overall pick. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A premium they did not need to pay, Darien Porter a notch or two before his time. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Dylan Sampson slipping to slot 73 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A reach on Brashard Smith in the Round 4 slot; the board had better options right there. The roster fit checks out.
They reached into another round for Dont'e Thornton Jr., and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
The board fumbled Cody Simon all the way to the Round 6 slot, and they scooped it up. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Jordan Hancock slid further than he should have, and Round 6, Pick 36 is lovely value for the safety. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Jimmy Horn Jr. at the 218th overall pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Luke Lachey at slot 224 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It patches a soft spot without any drama.